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Sustainable Enterprise Conference Innovates with Local Carbon Offset

Carbon Offset to Benefit Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps and Local Parks

Rohnert Park, California, April 15, 2013 - As the North Bay’s largest green business forum, the Sustainable Enterprise Conference is leading the way in event greening with an innovative carbon offset program for the April 26 Sustainable Enterprise Conference.

For each of the past 8 years the conference organizers having been reducing the conference carbon footprint through greening efforts and offsetting carbon impact by supporting creek restoration projects in Cotati Creek. For 2013, conference organizers and have chosen to offset their impact with social, economic and environmental action by raising money to put the Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps to work in local parks.

In partnership with the Parks Alliance for Sonoma County, the Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps is “creating a new generation of park champions, one job at a time.” The Parks Alliance for Sonoma County serves as the collaborating organization for Sonoma County nonprofits and governmental organizations working in parks, environment, open space, and public lands.

The Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps is a workforce training and ecosystem education program that employs youth and young adults while teaching them about environmental stewardship. Youth work primarily in crews on environmental and conservation-related projects that provide a tangible benefit to the local community.

With funds raised at the conference a Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps crew will work with the Parks Alliance in creek restoration, tree planting, and trail maintenance near the conference site in Rohnert Park.

“We want to take action here, supporting local projects that have a positive impact on the ecology of our community,” said conference executive director Oren Wool. "Parks Alliance with Youth Ecology Corps is a perfect collaboration for us. Putting youth to work as part of our greenhouse gas reduction program addresses the social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability. It’s more than a carbon offset - it’s a win for our community, our economy, and our environment.”

Funding for the project comes from sponsors, donations, and the conference carbon offset raffle. Participants can purchase additional raffle tickets during the conference or make a donation when they register for the event. Raffle prizes include gift baskets, gift certificates, wine, and including the grand prize, a sustainably designed SAYL Herman Miller chair valued at over $500.

According to Conference greening director Julie Montgomery, “The Sustainable Enterprise Conference is committed to continually reducing environmental impacts by focusing on a high-impact experience in a low-impact manner.” See the 2013 Greening Statement for details.

About the Sustainable Enterprise Conference

The Sustainable Enterprise Conference is an annual day-long learning and networking conference dedicated to helping North Bay business, academic, government, and nonprofit organizations transition to economic, environmental, and social sustainability.

The Sustainable Enterprise Conference operates under the fiscal sponsorship of the Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy, a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Sonoma County that is dedicated to ensuring a sustainable future for California's North Coast.